Crashing Down

I live in the piney woods of East Texas. Huge pine trees, over 100 feet in height, surround our home. The sound of the wind moving through the treetops is both soothing and therapeutic. But it wasn’t therapeutic when I heard a loud crash.

I ran out the front door to find part of one of those 100 foot pines covering the road and part of our yard. The other half was teetering precariously against another tall tree. That’s when I started praying for the wind to stop.

Thankfully, several men (husband included) removed the fallen limb and brought down the remaining failed tree. They looked pretty proud of themselves as I called them my Paul Bunyan’s. Fortunately, we got a new fence out of the mishap.

Afterward I looked at the trunk of that fallen tree. It showed signs of rot, disease and dehydration. Although I didn’t see the roots, I would bet they weren’t very long. As I walked back home I remembered what my Sunday School teacher told me once — the strongest trees have the deepest roots, and those roots are often taller than the trees themselves.

In the Bible, godly people are often compared to trees. Joni Eareckson Tada wrote: “The branches of growing trees not only reach higher, but their roots grow deeper. It’s impossible for a strong tree to have high branches without having deep roots. It would become top-heavy and topple over in the wind.” Joni went on to say: “The same is true with Christians. It’s impossible for us to grow in the Lord without entwining our roots around His Word and deepening our life in His commands.”

I want to be a tall, immovable tree – able to withstand the storms of life. That comes through daily Bible study, discipline, and tested faith—conditions that produce deep roots.

What do you think?

Jeremiah 17:8 ““For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.”